Physics 500 Part two

Edit 0 6 …

Physics 500 Part two

State Standards:

GSE PS3 (7-8)-8 - Motion

Students demonstrate an understanding of motion by…
  • 8a measuring distance and time for a moving object and using those values as well as the relationship s=d/t to calculate speed
  • 8b solving for any unknown in the expression s=d/t given values for the other two variables.

National Standards:

Context of Lesson:

This is the second lesson in a three day series lab activity about speed. In the previous lesson, students performed different events and determined which one was fastest. In this lesson, students will use the knowledge they have about speed to find an unknown in the speed formula. Instead of calculating speed, students are now going to have to use their deductive reasoning to determine and unknown distance without measuring it. This lesson is the first inquiry type of activity in this unit. Students are given a problem, and they have to determine how to solve it in their own way. Students have all of the knowledge they require to solve this problem, they just have to use their higher level reasoning skills to figure out what to do with it.

Opportunities to Learn:

Depth of Knowledge

Webb level one
  • Represent in words or diagrams a scientific concept or relationship
Webb level two
  • Solve routine multiple-step problems
  • Organize, represent, and interpret data
Webb level three
  • Support ideas with details and examples
  • Develop a scientific model for a complex situation
  • Apply a concept in other contexts
Webb level four
  • Conduct a project that requires specifying a problem, designing and conducting an experiment, analyzing its data, and reporting results/solutions

Prerequisite Knowledge

  • Basic Algebra
  • How to describe and measure motion
  • The formula for speed, and how to calculate speed.

Plans for Differentiating Instruction

  • The lab handout provides multiple ways to represent understanding. Students are asked to:
    • Represent the results in a diagram (visual)
    • Describe the results in sentence form (Linguistic)
    • Show calculations mathematically (logical)
    • Work hands-on to produce results (kinesthetic)

Accommodations and modifications

  • Students that require modifications will have a lab handout that does not contain higher level questions that ask students to analyze.
  • Students that require modifications will have a simpler handout that assists them in determining the answers.
  • Students that require extra help and verbal cues will be given one-on-one instruction.

Environmental factors

  • Students will be assigned to predetermined groups to distribute cognition.
  • If the weather is nice, Students will be allowed to go outdoors to complete this activity.
  • Plan for the day will be on the board prior to the start of class.

Materials

  • Lab Handout
  • Meter stick
  • Tape
  • Stop watches

Objectives:

Students will deductive reasoning skills to:
  • Analyze a problem and determine different solutions
  • Evaluate their results based on the class data
Students will conduct investigations to:
  • Calculate distance using the speed formula

Instruction:

Opening:

  • Students hand in Lab handouts from previous class.
  • Review previous lesson
    • Discuss questions from lab handout
  • "If I told you that someone one the car race, What would that mean in terms of motion?"
  • "If a cop pulled you over and said that you were 'speeding', would that be the correct use of words?"
  • Teacher Outlines daily activities.

Engagement:

  • Teacher hands out lab activity and explains the "problem" they are to solve.
  • Students are to remain in the same groups as the last class and perform the same event as they did in the previous class.
  • Students are allowed to brainstorm how to solve the problem in groups.
  • Students are taken outside (weather permitting) to perform activity.
  • Students are allowed to use meter stick to determine how to attack the problem, but they cannot use it to solve it.
  • Predetermined "unknown" distance is measured and taped out.
  • Teacher walks around to keep students on task and assess their progress.

Closure:

  • Students are taken back to the classroom with ten minutes remaining.
  • Students are to put their result on the board and briefly discuss their procedures.
  • Discuss as a class, "Why did we allow each group to use different methods to determine the answer?" Science implication- Researchers allow others to use different methods to determine the same answer..

Assessment:

  • Formative assessment of students' completion of the lab activity
  • Formative assessment of students' presentation of lab procedure
Back to Lesson Sequence